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2019-05-15T12:39:46.493Z

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To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the (a) dates on and
(b) reports of all recorded (i) safety breaches and (ii) safety incidents involving
(A) the Thames Clipper fleet and (B) other passenger boats on the River Thames since
2010.

<p>Operators are required to report certain incidents to the MCA and the Marine Accident
Investigation Branch (MAIB). The MCA will liaise with the operator directly and no
formal reports are published.</p><p> </p><p>Between the beginning of 2010 and the
end of 2018, the MAIB received reports of 44 accidents and incidents on the River
Thames in the Greater London area that involved vessels in the Thames Clipper fleet
and 190 accidents and incidents involving other passenger vessels on the Thames (excluding
large sea-going vessels e.g. cruise ships). Investigations are carried out where the
MAIB believes there are lessons for the industry to learn and then publishes reports
on its investigations online.</p>

<p>The Government is clear that the Northwest Runway scheme at Heathrow will be financed
in its entirety by the private sector. Ahead of the decision to designate the Airports
National Policy Statement (NPS) the Government and its independent expert advisors
concluded that, so far as can be assessed at this early stage of the process, Heathrow
Airport Limited (HAL) is able to privately finance expansion without Government support.</p><p>
</p><p>The Airports Commission also concluded that the scheme is financeable without
Government support.</p><p> </p>

<p>The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) published its report recommending a new target
for the UK of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 on 2 May 2019. We now need
to carefully consider this advice and the recommended policy approach for aviation
that the CCC will produce later in 2019.</p><p> </p><p>The Airports National Policy
Statement sets out several strict environmental red lines that must be delivered for
a third runway to gain development consent. These include no expansion if the applicant
cannot demonstrate that the scheme would not materially impact the UK’s ability to
meet its carbon reduction targets.</p>

<p>In its Aviation 2050 consultation, the Government recognises that regional airports
are often vital drivers for local economies, providing connectivity, employment, and
a hub for local transport schemes. The consultation sets out proposals to ensure the
sector grows sustainably, taking measures to mitigate its environmental impacts, including
limiting carbon emissions.</p><p>The Government is proposing that applications for
future growth will be required to provide a full assessment of emissions, drawing
on all feasible, cost-effective measures to limit their climate impact and demonstrating
that their project will not have a material impact on the Government’s ability to
meet its carbon reductions target.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential
effectiveness of the level of the proposed penalty to be imposed on Heathrow airport
in the event that it does not increase the number of passengers using public transport
to access the airport by the time a third runway is operational.

<p>The Airports National Policy Statement is clear that any application for development
consent must include details of how the applicant will achieve a wide range of mitigations,
including public transport mode share targets.</p><p> </p><p>Mitigations included
in a Development Consent Order or recommended as a result of examination will become
requirements that are enforceable under the Planning Act 2008. The detail of these
requirements, including any penalties, will flow from the planning process, but could
include financial provision for remedial measures or operating restrictions. A breach
of any requirement without reasonable excuse would be a criminal offence, and there
are wide-ranging powers for the relevant planning authority to investigate and intervene
should there be any breach, including by injunctions.</p>

<p>Officials from the Department have regular discussions with Public Health England
to discuss a range of matters, including issues relating to the effect of aircraft
noise on health. Recent discussions include engagement in the development of the Government’s
Aviation Strategy and PHE officials sit on the Department’s Airspace and Noise Engagement
Group.</p><p> </p><p>Ministers and officials have not had any recent discussions with
the Health and Safety Executive.</p><p> </p>

<p>Officials from the Department have regular discussions with Public Health England
to discuss a range of matters, including issues relating to the effect of aircraft
noise on mental health. Recent discussions include engagement in the development of
the Government’s Aviation Strategy and PHE officials sit on the Department’s Airspace
and Noise Engagement Group.</p><p> </p><p>Ministers and officials have not had any
recent discussions with the Health and Safety Executive.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he as had with
(a) the Health and Safety Executive and (b) Public Health England on the effect of
aircraft noise on the health of communities under proposed flight paths.

<p>Officials from my Department have regular discussions with Public Health England
(PHE) to discuss a range of matters, including issues relating to the effect of aircraft
noise on the health of communities under proposed flight paths. Recent discussions
include engagement in the development of the Government’s Aviation Strategy and PHE
officials sit on the Department’s Airspace and Noise Engagement Group.</p><p> </p><p>Ministers
and officials have not had any recent discussions with the Health and Safety Executive.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment
he has made of the adequacy of existing coal stocks to meet expected needs for electricity
generation before coal is phased out.

<p>The latest statistics are publicly available (<a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fstatistics%2Fsolid-fuels-and-derived-gases-section-2-energy-trends&amp;data=02%7C01%7Celizabeth.twomey%40beis.gov.uk%7C1e9c4adfd2e34cc9daf108d6e9b48cf2%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C636953358993851618&amp;sdata=KafUNWRYL193z1tkjts6rs9aYJyQH%2BQu1rCT7q0xBNU%3D&amp;reserved=0"
target="_blank">Energy Trends table 2.1</a>.)</p><p> </p><p>The government is committed
to ending unabated coal power by 2025. As a result of our existing policies, including
carbon pricing and our support for renewables, we have already made great headway
in reducing our reliance on coal, which fell from 39% of electricity in 2012 to 5%
in 2018. There are now regular coal free periods, and in May the UK went without running
coal power generation for over two weeks – the longest coal-free period in the country
since the 1880s.</p><p> </p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
consideration he has made of the implications of the level of stockpiles of coal for
planning decisions on new and proposed coal mining operations, including those currently
under consideration or review.

<p>The Government is committed to clean growth and is taking action to reduce our
reliance on coal. We have set out our aim to end electricity generation from unabated
coal by 2025 and we are also taking action to reduce coal use in industry and heating.</p><p>Our
world leading plans to end electricity generation from unabated coal by 2025 are expected
to further this trend, and I am delighted that 30 countries, 22 states and cities,
and 28 businesses have signed up to our Powering Past Coal Alliance.</p><p>The National
Planning Policy Framework makes clear that planning permission should not be granted
for the extraction of coal unless the proposal is environmentally acceptable or the
national, local or community benefits outweigh its likely impacts. The Framework is
a material consideration in the determination of all applications for coal extraction
in England. Given my quasi-judicial role in the planning system, it would not be appropriate
to comment on the merits of current or future planning applications for coal extraction.</p>